How Smart Are Cats? How to Measure Feline Intelligence · Kinship

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How Smart Are Cats? How to Test Your Cat’s IQ

They know they are geniuses, after all.


Cat looking at a computer screen at home.
Melanie DeFazio /

Cats may not do precisely what you tell them to do, but that doesn’t mean they are not intelligent. In fact, they’re smart in some very specific areas: independent problem-solving, spatial memory, and observational learning.

They have small brains, but they are equipped with the ability to process information efficiently. They have exceptional survival skills, memory, and adaptability. It’s easier to test a dog’s intelligence because they are, generally, very social creatures. However, cats’ brains are uniquely adapted to their environment and lifestyle.

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Main Takeaways

  • A cat’s brain is more like a human’s than a dog’s.

  • Brain size does not determine intelligence in cats. 

  • There is no standardized IQ test for cats. 

  • Abyssian, Siamese, Bengal, and Scottish Fold cats are the most intelligent. 

  • Cats are not smarter than dogs; they’re just different.

How big is a cat’s brain?

A domestic cat’s brain makes up approximately 0.9 percent of their body mass. Weighing just about 25 to 30 grams, it’s small in size compared to that of dogs or humans. However, it's the structure of a cat’s brain, not its size, that reveals the animal’s intelligence.

Dr. Shelby Neely holds a dog

Dr. Shelby Neely, DVM

Dr. Shelby Neely is a freelance writer and veterinarian who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and has practiced veterinary medicine for 30 years, specializing in small animals. Her work has appeared in Allivet, AsktheCatDoctor, WhiskerDocs, Ask the Cat Doctor Radio, Ask the Cat Doctor TV, and numerous other websites, brochures, newsletters, newspapers, and ebooks. In her spare time, Dr. Neely likes to spend time with her three children, two grandchildren, three cats, two grand-cats, and five grand-dogs.